Tag: Folsom Mill Studio

I have been filling my days non stop since April 2nd and I am getting things done.

I have fed the the flowers all over town and stood up in a fight over our local library editionand still fighting Liberty Utilities proposed 2.5 Billion gallon LNG tank project in my tiny town.I was just sworn in as the new Treasurer of our NHFGC (State’s Garden Club Group) added a new door to my future art studio and got my garden ready for adding plants on Friday in between getting a float ready in my yard for Monday’s parade. I will then try to rest Monday Night and Tuesday and head to the coast for Watercolor class at Strawberry Bank. No matter how hard I try to work she is still missing from my side I am hoping the 3 daily trips to the ocean and painting in a style unlike mine will get me back on the right path with just caring for myself will be the main focus.

The colorful birds I share my world with are now starting to bring their young all the while raising more clutches. These are the bright spots.

Friend’s of the Harvey-Mitchell Library

Pulling Main Street Together

Studio gets a new doorNow to add soil and compost. I said I have been trying to stay busy.

I will continue on this journey plugging away and in June will take some time to see loved ones and a special blogger along the way.

Happy Memorial Day though it is a solemn day not sure when HAPPY was added.

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So is he a visitor sent to remind me of my loves and those lost or simply a gorgeous male I call out to and hear him coming closer and closer with each call he returns, until he is 10 feet away. You know I love my place as do all wildlife.

I am hard at work when the weather allows me to lay groundwork for my dreams of a place to paint for others as well as classes to be held with me and other artists .

I know tears will lessen but when you involve your pet in so many adventures and everyday tasks the void left is something I did not see coming. Damn they need to live longer and I blame the pet food companies as I always gave her what was said to be the best.

Thank you to everyone who has sent messages here and on Facebook I know you feel my pain but I am determined to find joy here, one day at a time.

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No longer wanting to see JT, my beautiful border collie, living on pain pills as her only option we said goodbye just before supper Tuesday night.

I am trying so hard to remember the joy she brought us from the moment we laid eyes on her almost 13 years ago. The house is so quiet without her and she was a quiet dog but there were those times when she would bark when squirrels came or company. Her squeak toys now silent and she had over a 1000 toys knowing the name of each and every one we lovingly name for her.

You pet lovers have all been through this, as I have 16 times before her, but each one leaves me sobbing one minute and pushing through daily routines the next. I miss her so much my beautiful black and white shadow who loved me just as much. It would have been selfish had I filled the prescription again and kept her comfortable as I have been doing since the vet placed her on them in late Nov. Once I could finish her grave(had to wait for the ground to thaw) I called a vet I had for years, no longer being JT’s but knowing it was time he came to the house so she would not be scared.

Thank you all for following us through photos of our trips here there and everywhere.

Wow today was truly the calm before the storm with snow to begin soon this one just to aggravate the morning commute but then a day tobuy up all the milk and eggs at the store maybe water in case the power goes out on Sunday, when we will receive 1 to 2 FEET of SNOW!

We better not lose power with the call for high winds and so much snow forecast as the whole country, except for New England, praying for the Patriots to be knocked out of the playoffs but my money’s on the 5 time Superbowl Champs led by the GOAT, Tom Terrific I call him. 🙂

They love my heated bird bath these pretty Bluebirds

We walked around the yard looking for items that could potentially go through the snowblower and JT sniffed the ground to see who had been in her yard.

For those in the path of this storm stay safe out there have a plan set and stay warm.

Our snow has just about disappeared here in southeastern New Hampshire but there is word out tonight some flakes will be in the air this week ahead.

Our garden club sold over $1,000 worth of Poinsettias and Wreaths and a few Kissing Balls as well. The last order will go to a church here in town on Thursday so they can get their alter ready for the Twelve Days of Christmas. We will make between $300/$400 for our effort and make the town that much prettier this spring.

My girl(JT) has been put on meds to help with her pain I also and taking her for gentle walks to help with our ongoing weight loss plan. 🙂

Trying to get into the holiday spirit by getting out and doing things with others in town and making an effort to get dressed and show up no matter what so many gone from the family table this year as many of you it is not easy.

me

I have been adding cards to a local shop here in town where I teach too and making some art to tuck into Christmas Cards for family and friends.

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So much to do as fall is upon us with the winter season fast on it’s heels, weather wise anyways.

My flock of visiting Juncos have arrived which is a sure sign of snow season getting closer and closer and our northern neighbors have already received theirs. Soon I will be able to hang up bird feeders without constant worry about the neighborhood bears wanting in on the action as well. We now have a resident Bobcat not sure if it is male or female but I will keep the camera charged and ready for its appearance.

I have been teaching Watercolor classes I know can you believe it 🙂 I have so much fun doing the classes as I take all I struggled with being mostly self taught and let the watercolor take center stage as it should. No bells and whistles just letting it mix and mingle until it speaks to each students heart. It is about fun and joy they can find enough to stress about as can you and I.

I had the first of my two craft fairs and it was very successful and the Boy Scout troop made some much needed cash. I sold signed and numbered Giclee prints and lots of cards mom must be watching over me as we come up to the second anniversary of her death. The holidays are hard having no family left to speak of but I know I am not alone.

I promised some photos of what I have been doing to get my property ready to open it up for Art Shows and Classes as well as Plein Air gatherings.

Here are a few before and after shots as I just rented a machine to cut down all the brush so I can begin to put down paths of wood chips for visitors to follow down to the river banks and out into the forest though flowers will also be available with all my new additions this past spring.

So though it looks messy I can finally walk around without being covered with ticks from all that brush and I now have more land to fix and make suitable for growing old and others enjoying one thing I am excited about is friends have offered to build me a ranch home 2 Bedrooms brand new so I can knockdown my old home I no longer want to climb up on the roof to clean 🙂 I am blessed.

I will also add a new roof to the barn/studio and a new front glass door to let the sunshine stream in to the work tables. Not sure where to go to find the perfect door that will sit behind the sliding barn door but so happy for GOOGLE 🙂 I will paint it in the spring I was hoping my son would put an artistic scene on it but not sure where he is and what he is up to these days just hope he is also happy.

Flooding continues to be a problem here but I have folks working on that as I update my blog first make them aware then demand change 🙂 stay tuned!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my US friends and safe holidays to the rest of you from so far away.

Memorial Day here in the US can be confusing what with everyone saying “Happy Memorial Day” when in fact it is to remember those we lost on battlefields not so happy at all in fact a rather sad day to reflect upon.

Here most enjoy a parade and a cookout and who knows maybe as we gather more can turn their thoughts over to the family members who never came home from war it is wear to start in my opinion. Now Veterans Day is to celebrate all who have served and no parties for that day as most work it to get the day after Thanksgiving off truly confusing.

Now to confuse you I have a shot of one of my visiting squirrels contemplating the day before him or her and maybe reflecting upon life while atop of my carved Cardinal.

So many trees and bushes and now starting this weekend looking for Perennials till 1st weekend in June. I will attend all the local garden club plant sales within 50 mile radius to my place to show my support we all must stick together in our mission to make our towns as pretty as we can.

I have been icing the knee and in between wearing an old brace I have to get it all done. I can not wait to get back to painting with leg up. It does help for me to rest it so I grab my camera and wait for the action to come to me.

We have so many 2 and 4 legged visitors to watch what is beginning to occur slowly but surely here. Arbor Day says my 17 specimens should arrive next week 🙂 and I am making the rest of my raised vegetable beds on Mother’s Day. I was going to ride down to Bourne MA where my parents were laid to rest at the Veterans Cemetery on Cape Cod but I know both of them would prefer I continue with my vision and to smile, they liked to see me smile. Happy Mother’s Day to all you Mom’s. Miss you Mom xo

Follow me on Facebook(Folsom Mill Studio) for more adventure 🙂 till I learn to size these right as I do not know all there is about photography 🙂 just know it is a pure delight to interact with these wild ones daily.

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I was approached by Charlie O’Shields from Doodlewash and asked if I would like to be Featured on his blog and website. I told him I was new to this and not sure I was ready as his site is gorgeous and has professional artists on there I look up to . He assured me it was time and asked me to send him some photos and words. Looking back at the should have, could have, would have, I wish I had shot a few works in progress to show my style lol who knew I had one.

I wanted to thank all of you who knew my story and watched this journey and yes I am so very happy and working on my future back when I started this blog I was not even sure I would have one so thank you.

Please if you paint with Watercolor and do not know Charlie stop in and say hello and tell him Eunice at Folsom Mill sent you 🙂

My garden for most part has been put to rest till spring and we just pulled off another successful “Plant Sale” for our very tiny garden club. My mom is not doing well with her cancer treatments and the stress of life has me wanting to wet my paper and let the colors flow.

I also signed up for a mystery box which cost $25 at Seacoast Artist Association in Exeter NH now to open the box as my art made from items within must be finished and wired to hang in the show that hangs on

You would never know we are in a severe drought here in New England. My garden is lush and producing easily 20 pounds a day of food perfect when you have no money for the finer things in life, others take for granted.

I have stayed at home to tend to me and the fruits of my labor. This totally organic all non GMO and mostly heirloom garden of mine. With so much sun damage, skin cancer I bought my very first pair of sunglasses and a floppy hat. I go into the garden early and late in the day with my girl and her toy. She rests while I pick and after rinsing them it is her time to play. Friends say she needs her own Facebook page 🙂 I think a chapter in my memoir will be enough as you all know her.

I received really bad news last week, that after the 2 year battle to get mom back up and walking on her own she has been kicked down bad with hearing she has cancer. She had the tests every 6 months on her esophagus but had always aced them. This time the news was bad, it is elsewhere. She now has it in her liver as well. She is terminal. She is trying to hold on to attend her granddaughter’s wedding in November I say move the date up and let my mom go peacefully, but hey who am I. I am angry after her fighting so hard to go back home with her cat that this is how the story will end, sad about her being scared but putting in another 6 to 9 rounds in this ring of life. We made a big deal last Oct. on her 80th birthday as she made it, to now being doubtful for a 81st. Life is not easy we all know this don’t we but not fair as well. I will see her tonight and try to speak of old times, fun things and bring soft, yummy stuff, to eat. Hope she loves Ratatouille and cheesecake.
I have some amazing tomatoes as they are her favorite and at this point there is no reason to avoid any food I want her to delight in their amazing flavor while she can still taste.

I have been inside on hot days crocheting with maybe only two days where I painted but not because I do not want to but because our town is celebrating our 257th birthday and I will be adding a table at the craft fair. I will have a couple of fused glass bracelets, some Watercolors and baby hats and booties for sale. My heart was in it before mom’s news but now not so much. Push forward and carry on as I gave my word I would take a spot of a now sold out show. I have all kinds of hats and booties to complete and then package them for next Saturday. After the 20th, everything the all volunteer committee I have been on for two years, will be behind us. We will have a parade, craft fair, fun and games for the children and fireworks to complete the celebration. I pray I am around to see what the younger folks do on her 300th.

I hope you are all doing ok. I hope for those in the US you have not gone crazy over the presidential race. We have to know by now what little difference will either make. My wish is to kick everyone out of Congress/Senate, strip them of their monthly stipend for life and get new blood in, allow them 2 years at a time do something or they are gone. No carrying the financial burden our country does for those who care so little for their country and those of us who reside here. Yes I never speak of the crap out there but I am paying attention.

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The day started rainy and socked in with think fog here in New England yesterday, while so many suffered in horrible cold and snowy conditions. We will take what we can left of this year, before we too must huddle together and keep ourselves warm.

A few years ago I took a class with Mom on fusing glass with a wonderful teacher who has since passed away. She had told us about a woman in Maine who taught wire wrapping, so we could make our pieces we did, look even nicer and go from glass into jewelry pieces. Well that winter we went out to Arizona to hunt for Gold and I met a woman there who took the time to show me a simple wrap that as I got more proficient I could add my own flair to. Well yesterday the woman in Maine, who I follow through Facebook, had an Open House for her jewelry pieces. So that was my plan for the day, a nice quiet ride up into Maine to meet her in person and see if I could find something pretty for a gift as well as to support another starving artist.

The ride was quiet but boyfriend and pup decided to join me as I always find the neatest things when I take the time to venture out from the house. With winter on our heels I knew days upon days of me being inside would soon arrive. So I packed the dog’s fresh water, my camera bag and off we went.

I made it to her place with no trouble and told them I would be awhile and for them to go find some fun without me.

So nice to meet Mig. Her pieces are beautiful. Such pretty stones and Sea Glass all wrapped in Silver. We talked and talked and then it was time for me to find the sea. It was just two miles east maybe less. The two had gone in search of a place to play but saw the no parking signs everywhere and decided to wait for me. Well right away I found a beach access road and plenty on empty parking spots, lol it is winter so all rules and regulations go by the way side here. Dogs could run free! JT was so excited I have to tell you. We go walking at the beach but of late we stroll beside the sea on pathways and not on the sandy beaches, see if I take her to the waters edge she wants to do one thing and one thing only CATCH A FRISBEE. I have a bad shoulder so with loosing weight we take the harder surfaces and walk and walk, all the while me kicking her stick. She is OK with anything I am able to do, she is such a good girl. She will be eight on Mother’s Day and I want her as healthy as can be so I can have her beside me for as long as I can. Just check this happy photo out

See what I mean. Happy dog!

Now look what happens when she has to wait for me to stop taking pretty photos of the beach and sea.

You would think I had put her in the down command but actually she really has the need for just one COME. She is too smart to do anything DUMB. Yes I am blessed and very proud of my pup. She is such a good girl. A elderly couple was out for a walk on the beach and asked if they could give here a dog bone. I never allow it but they were nice and JT sat pretty and stole their hearts in an instant, she even took the cookie and ATE IT, she never does. She must have worked up an appetite from all that running on the beach. She was one happy dog, I swear I caught a smile or two yesterday. She does love the beach but hurts too bad in her joints if we play for hours so the half hour worked out perfect.

We took the long way home, back roads all the way back to NH. I have really seen that section of highway enough in a rig.

As we made our way along the coastline the towns had decked the streets with holiday lights and wreaths, it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas, well all except for the snow that was gladly missing.

I had timed the day near perfect. Soon it would be dark enough to see some lights and I headed for the most famous Maine Lighthouse to see them. It was just a tad too light so I let JT out where she made new friends while I waited with not one but two cameras to catch some action beside the Atlantic. I took too many photos, wait could that happen ? Let me show you a couple to end this post. I even added some to my online gallery for Holiday Cards! Who doesn’t love the sea and these gorgeous lighthouses that keep the sailors safe.

Well last night we lost an hour of sleep due to our moving our clocks ahead in spring as we do here in New Hampshire for Daylight Savings Time. I went to bed early after being at the beach. Yes a perfect day in the mid 40’s. It was a very Messy Beach and some lost their homes. I am not sure if you caught it on your news as I never know if AP news will broadcast things that happen here, all over the world.

You know I will keep you up on the stories in the news throughout New England well at least when it comes to storms and flooding.

JT and I walked along the shoreline for exercise and play while her daddy searched for treasure. I left her Frisbee in the truck and grabbed a stick we keep for windy days. I knew she would want to jump waves if we played with her favorite toy but today was not a day to be playing in the sea.

The waves were strong and very powerful. One after another slammed into the coastline. Remember we go when the tide is heading out. He only hunts low tides and I hunt the beaches when people have just left from a day of beach going and I never go down to the water with my machine. This is winter though in New England and we had an enormous coastal storm. It was very far out to sea but we still got nailed by it. The beach had 3 days easy of seas with 20 foot plus seas. It slammed into sea walls and busted them again. Roads were closed due to rock and four feet of water in some sections where the beach breached an area where the state has determined a pretty coastal route would be. Mother Nature has a funny way of taking back what always should have been a place of give and take. I never really think to add video to these lengthy posts but if you want to go to the web to look here are a few local news stations where you can see it in action.

So as we walked the dog and I we met others who were shocked by what they saw had taken place with yet another storm. The dunes which help to keep the water from homes and businesses were just about gone. They were huge. They were tall with pretty grasses holding them together. They had been a part of our lives forever if you grew up in New England. We were not allowed to ride dune buggies on them they were not for fun. They were to protect us and a place for wild birds to make their nests. Where would they go now? Tax money spent over and over to fix the beach. We have people who flock here from Canada and other parts of the world will they still come? I am sad people once again lost their homes. Yes they were silly to want to build by the sea but she is so beautiful on most days. Look at other beaches. Huge hotel chains line the beach in Virginia, Florida too. Everyone wants to get close to the sea. These past thirty eight years I can remember, spending so much time visiting them have seen so much change.

When sand was washed out to sea dunes collapsed and drainage pipes show up I guess filthy storm drain water screened through all the sand was supposed to be OK for the oceans now with rain coming and it will fall for days where will it go besides straight into our ocean that feeds us. So very sad.

Foundations showing up from buildings long ago gone. I used to go to the one that stood here beside the sea. The Frolics was famous for music, and drinks. Many years ago there had even been a huge swimming pool alongside this beach. Salisbury Beach have you ever been. It used to be a fun place to go not so much anymore well unless you are a dog with a great Mom and Dad.

She really wants to run time to let her off leash for a few minutes while I show you some of what we saw at the beach that was a mess.

That is JT’s Dad hunting the beach

Last one for this post

See the metal stakes?

The dunes came out this far and a wooden fence was attached to these all along the shoreline to KEEP PEOPLE OFF THEM but no one told the Sea to STAY AWAY.

Hi Everyone the three of us have been trying to get out and walk in between snow storms. We have gone when he goes detecting and he even found more rings. I lost a few more pounds but going to Mom’s and she is baking me a cake for my birthday and also has a New England Boiled Dinner is on the menu for us. I am blessed to still have her to celebrate with.

I am starting my day off early by getting my haircut, it is long and always in my face and lately it spends more time up in a clip so now is the time for a change to go with all the weight loss. Another year older and still on track to be a better healthier me. I love reading your blogs when I can get the reader to work. I am trying to follow you by email so bear with me. I have placed almost 400 photos for sale on-line and now as I get ready to go on my 10 day silent retreat I hope I come back to lots of sales. I will miss you all when I am gone as much as my dog and family, you bring me much joy in your posts. I miss doing two a day but as my followers rose in numbers it was hard to keep up but when I come back to it in April , I will be lighter in my heart and body, they won’t feed us much. Water and maybe breakfast and a lunch but no supper just tea and fruit at 4 PM them meditate till 9:30 PM we will start each day in meditation at 4 AM. My son suggested I jump right in the deep end! So with him having done it to heal his hurt and pain I am looking forward to my gift to myself. You know I will tell you all about it!

So let me show you what we have been doing while we wait for the next shoe to fall, MORE SNOW!

Surf was wild and dirty

Yes that is a pile of thick foam

What a knucklehead I yell for her to watch out but the FRISBEE in my hand she is not moving till I threw it . I don’t think she saw this heading at her.

Look at her she is covered with the filthy foam, she was not happy when I said she would need a bath. I am a bad Mommy to but her in tub with Luke Warm Water with pretty smelling soap but she will jump in the filthy sea of FOAM.

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Hi everyone. No I am not lost but usually I shovel then suffer in pain but it is the workouts that have me seeing consistent success now at the scale on Tuesdays and is getting me closer to goal which will be a HEALTY weight never scrawny . I need my strength to make it through my meditation as well as that new English Garden I will be working on if winter ever let’s go of her death grip up here. No don’t worry just hard on old broken bodies but my sense of humor such as it is will get me to spring oh and the rains! Today NH is under the spell of another huge storm and why I am getting rains when others are getting twelve more, heavy wet inches of snow I have no idea but you know I am so grateful for each and every drop for it is melting our snowpack and snow on the roofs is shrinking too he said it was too slippery to climb up yesterday which worried me with the weight of heavy wet snow ruining so many homes and businesses elsewhere. Well I sold my conversion van and made another friend. She too is an author with all of you here I follow and follow me I can surely get my three written! I sold the van to get cash to fix my pick-up the one with the PLOW kind of late now as the birds are already singing their hearts out looking for the prettiest girls in town. I will scrub hummingbird feeders again to make sure no dust has gotten into the bags I store them in and get the seeds started for my garden even if I have to grow in 5 gal. buckets or a pallet have you seen that on Pinterest? I think this year I will even start Sunflowers in egg cartons or yogurt cups as I have plenty of empties and this way after the diet of black oil sunflower seeds I have been going through with my wildlife so far almost 400 lbs. of seed, they will not be able to dig up the ones I hide to line my yard with. Hard to outsmart wildlife though I am sure something hungry will come for the green growth like us and our salad greens!

So how have you all been? Life good or hard right now? I love hearing from you all and that some of you are regular visitors to my Portfolio Blog please me. You can comment on any blog. Tell me if you like certain photo or what you don’t like remember the only thing I have ever been a professional at is a driver, a big rig driver so you can help by chiming in . Some of you know I have been selling my photos on FAA under Eunice Miller and that I even set up a Facebook page that will link my photographs I have placed for sale right to their site in most cases. If you are artists that have begun to follow my blog thank you. Blogging has made me a better photographer still not anything to write home about but me and my little Kodak Easy Share once in a while capture something pretty and moving to some besides me for which I am thankful for isn’t that why we decide to step out of our nice comfy spot at home and reach out to the world at large with art and words. I would not have gotten to know you all had I not taken that very first step last Memorial Day weekend. I am blessed by each and every one of you and I think you already know that by what we have shared.

Now it wouldn’t be a Living and Lovin blog without a photo or two so this is what I have been thinking of

My Lilacs in full bloom calling out to all the insects and pretty butterflies that adore them as much as I do even Ron loves them JT loves to smell them she is a girl you know and all girls love pretty flowers.

For the bees to arrive so my fruit trees will bless us and the wildlife who also love fruit.

Now the Forsythia that are all over this place we call home are sure signs of SPRING arriving.

Now for this year along with the new English Garden area Ron will make me a sculpture as he was a welder for 35 years before retiring early with injuries. I am thinking something in pretty copper but maybe a mix if they can be put together with the arc from his welding rod. He is the pro so I will let him do his thing and praise the heck out of him because he is a good man to put up with me and so much sadness though it has gotten so much better since I have stopped hiding. So look for a blog on his artist work in the future here.

I will also divide my Hostas for an upcoming Garden Club Plant Sale in early May and take some new Lilacs and move them to my berm on the eastern side of my property I will add some shoots of Forsythia on berm as well because they will look beautiful as they grow and drape along this area with the Lilacs up above with a few little pretty shaped Pines. It will provide me with Privacy yes but mostly block the Orange Fence(plastic snow fence) from my view while I sit and tend to my garden since I do not see her as ever taking it down, even though it sits on the towns right a way.

So for now I will look and deal with the CRUD of Winter with visions of a beautiful spring!

We will hang out by the sea a lot till them even on a lousy weather day we can always find a ray of hope here along the water’s edge.

Take care everyone and again stop in at anyone of my places here on the world-wide web, you are more than welcome.

I took this photo yesterday along the river but facing out to sea. It was beautiful over here, less wind then when JT and I tried to join her daddy on the ocean side, man was it cold and a very brisk wind. Cold we can take but that constant wind is not good and I am bundled up, well all but my weather-beaten face and to protect her from the harsh elements I have gone through my whole life, we walked over here to take shelter from the storm that was brewing.

What a deceiving day. It was so pretty to look at. Made me what to shower and get dressed and head out with him. I was down another two pounds on Tuesday weigh-in so I wanted to keep up the hard work. Funny you see something working even if it causes pain I am the type that has always been tough and just pushed through it. I am not saying it is smart , just saying more about who I am.

I have one month left before I leave and want to take in all my world has to offer. I want to walk and spend time with them. I will miss the three of them, who share this home with me. My son said he missed his pup but knowing she was with friends allowed him to take on the challenge himself so I will let go and trust. JT loves me as much as Mike’s dog adores him but Mike does spend time during the day without his girl and JT is always beside me lol I am her person. She watches over me and protects me even when I am not in danger so maybe after she gets over missing me for first few days she will become a dog again. Something tells me we will be like that commercial that runs here, of the lady coming back from war with her huge dog greeting her on the ground covering her with kisses, will also be played out here, hell being on the floor meditating for 10 days 14 hours a day will have the ground being normal for me. Wish me luck! lol

OK back to the REAL STORM BREWING this morning I woke to a weather report saying maybe we would miss a big snowstorm Thank You for listening to my prayers this time now they say just three to four inches but wet snow this time. JT loves catching snowballs she will be so happy. Now I will show you a few photos from the river as the sea. They are not my best and I am sorry I was freezing and will blame them on the wind!

Now look at the next pictures don’t them make it seem like it is just a beautiful day to SUNTAN

Not a care in the world.

A Loner lol no room for anyone else on this ones beach.

OK want to see some more again sorry shaking too much for really pretty ones but I am sure you will love them.

Now the mighty Atlantic Ocean was really churning and so frothy. The storm was still a twelve-hour ride away down in Virginia. So I really thought we would be getting another NEMO like storm. Looks can be deceiving right beautiful blue sky pretty colorful sea. BRRRRRRR

Wind blown JT waits for me to throw a hefty stick to her. No FRISBEE in these winds.

Well you can see she is tiring of me and my photos time to go for a walk

It was 1999 and I was hauling the tanker you see in the photo above. It was used for hauling Spring Water from a New Hampshire Spring Water Company up in the lakes region.

Heading up the mountain roads to pick up the loads were hard enough on me but once loaded and top closed, I had to get down that long steep grade, now weighing in at 103,000 gross pounds. Yes I was a Heavy Hauler and my load MOVED. When filling, the idea was to get it chock full of water so movement would be cut down to a minimum.

In the summer months hauling spring water were such pretty days. Traveling from bottling plants back up on top of the mountain for more and back down again. Most days I did this trip three times. Long hours were hard on me and my rig.

I fought traffic through Massachusetts rush hours only to be caught in one just trying to get back home to New Hampshire but I made decent money, paid my bills and still had some fun.

Now all I just told you went on during winters as well and no, not so pretty. Maybe I should have had a camera with me but I was all business when behind the wheel but now that I look back, what a blast to capture what I saw out there on a daily basis. Stopped of course.

I changed my own oil in the rig as well as greased it, from end to end. I did all the repairs I knew how to do or that Dad could walk me through or even help me with when he was not busy driving himself.

This is the ugly part of a day, in the life of me and my truck.

I always kept great tires on my truck, it is what allowed me to run day in and day out with no blown tires and left sitting on the side of the road. Well it still would happen but not so often, more so when I was hauling rubbish in and out of landfills.

Well on this day I headed out with 4 new tires for my rear axle of my tractor. I gave my old tires to the place I always did business with and paid the man, even gave him a friendly” Thanks so much”, see you when the fronts come in Call Me!

I went up to the mountain to grab another load of spring water and kicked tires before heading down that nasty mountain road, never knowing it would be one of the scariest rides . I was loving the ride knowing my tires were new and actually very pretty, you see I even sand blasted the rims and had them powder coated. I was out on a major highway here in New Hampshire and stopped to pay my toll then shortly after I was in Newburyport Massachusetts on 95 south when I heard, then felt something funny, well not funny but you know what I mean. I clenched the big rigs wheel and held on tight about this time I see one of my new tires pass me! Then I knew I was in serious trouble my boyfriend yelled ” aren’t you going to stop?”. I swear to you I could not answer him, this had never happened before in over two million miles of driving one of these. I looked in my mirror to my left as the tire would surly head out in front of me and into the lane beside me. There was a full school bus and all I could do to warn anyone and make them pay attention was to lay on the air horn, which had everyone’s attention by the grace of God. This huge truck tire was moving! I had been in the right travel lane and bus in middle lane and we had lots of other company on the southbound side of I 95. The tire came across my lane into the school bus lane across the next one into the medium strip of the highway and popped up in front of a Saab, who was not expecting or paying attention to all of us headed south with our 4 way emergency flashes on. When he or she saw it coming straight at them they jerked the wheel and it just missed them and off the other side it went! I asked Dave to remember where as I needed to go and collect it. Then the tire which rides beside it, passed me and this one could have killed us and many others that day but once again by the grace of God and my luck, it did not get caught up under us, which could have had me loosing control and just horrible, unimaginable things taking place that day. This inside tire took the path up the breakdown lane and thankfully no one was parked there. It then left the highway and went down the embankment. Dave again took a mile marker number down as we would have to hunt it down. These tires were $400.00 each and the rims were expensive as well, never mind what I paid to have the man do the work of putting them on.

While wheels were leaving the truck and traffic veering around the first one and me holding on for dear life, I also had taken my foot off the accelerator and was coasting all the while, 103,000 lbs gross weight of tractor-trailer and load of spring water. I moved the truck into the breakdown lane, the nightmare over.

What I explained here in the telling of the story happened all within split seconds but seemed very much in Slow Motion. I was lucky that day, boyfriend too but mostly the many people who had just been out for a drive.

Now as I am pulled over, emergency flashes still on and I can’t move. It is over but somehow I know it isn’t. Boyfriend jumps out to check the truck out then I follow with cell phone in hand, how I hate phones but this day it helped me stay calm and out of trouble.

I could see my poor air bags and springs and shocks where extended beyond where they should be with all the weight on the other three sets of duel tires so I asked him to put down the landing gears while I called into the mountain to send another driver down to grab my loaded trailer and get it to the bottling plant before they ran out of water and had to shut down the line. I have always been like this, thinking of the other person though this meant I would not get paid for the load that was forty minutes from being delivered but sadly I had more import things to take care of.

I called the tire repairman and have him an earful. I called a wrecker and had him charged for it, though he assumed I would pay for it in the end. Once another driver arrived and hooked to my trailer I was sitting in the breakdown lane so I asked him the boyfriend who was a big help on days like this to get me a chain and some tools and went about taking off the leveler arm to get the axle where it needed to sit so I could chain it up and limp home, no the wrecker was not for me it was to go with Dave to pick up the two wayward tires and rims and bring them to our neighbors, the ones who had the fire I just told you about. I got the truck home and parked over there and then Dave and the tires arrived seems they had both gone down and over and landed in nasty puddles of road run off he and the tow truck driver and tires were filthy. I told the driver to bill the tire man for new boots too.

What a morning I had had on those new tires of mine.
What I wrote about here has happened to others I am sure in one degree or another but this one was my story of a beautiful sunny day till all the BOLTS SNAPPED do you know why? Seems he had over torqued them while using his air gun on them. I too have used air but always tightened them up by hand. He could have cost us and the others their life that day and you know he even had the audacity to BILL ME suffice to say I never paid him for second round of repairs. I told him to take me to court so I could tell the judge the story I have just written here.

Also I have to tell you from the moment this happened till the time I made a drink that night to try to unwind. I never saw one police officer. None pulled over to help me or ask if I was OK, you see they all knew me as a strong woman who did everything on her own. I guess that is the good part as I got no citations but boy I sure could have used some BLUE LIGHTS to protect us from possibly being hit, while we worked on the rig with traffic buzzing by at 70+MPH.

So keep your eyes open while driving or walking.
Please stay off your phones too.
PAY ATTENTION to where you are and what is going on around you.

You just never know and had I been gabbing on the phone like as if I was sitting in my living room I may not be here or that bus full of students.

I guess when I thought I had posted it maybe I did not as some followers were not aware I had started a new blog just for photos so I can do more writing here with you and over on 20 Lines.

Here is the link for the new place should you feel like popping in and taking a peek I love this format they put out for us photographers and I needed a place I could say send a banker to see what I had to offer for their walls 🙂

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I wanted to go for a walk and it read 8 F here in the yard and it didn’t feel too bad, after what it had been like for 3 days here well below 0 F, with nasty winds. The kind that feel like they are cutting right into your skin.

So we bundled in layers all except for the poor dog. I wish she didn’t hate coats.

It was a beautiful clear day a perfect one for a drive. Once I turned towards the coast the roads were all ours maybe they knew better.

Put a coat on to check these out or you will catch a CHILL

Not a soul out in this weather

The Beach was all ours from 2 PM till 4 PM

After I loaded the dog and my camera in the truck and warmed it up I went back to see if he was still OK and a pilot had placed a HUGE HEART up over the sea

it was beautiful but you will have to take my word for it unless I can find it on the web cam and show you. I was not going to run to the warm truck and go back out though now I am kicking myself as it was so pretty.

It was THIS COLD!

Wednesday it will be 50 F time to go to the beach!

On February 2 ND and 3 RD hundreds will jump in the Atlantic Ocean, along Hampton Beach, in Hampton NH (there is a WEB CAM) they call it the Penguin Plunge for Special Olympics

I will get some photos of it if it is not as cold as today WHICH WAS NUTS! We did have a nice walk and he did find treasure though brrrrr still trying to THAW!

Boyfriend is hunting the sea for treasure and JT and I are getting some much-needed walking in.

She loves when I tell her we are going to the beach.

She runs to the door wagging her tail then runs to get her Frisbee . She is so very happy I can see it in her eyes.

Wind recently was 45 mph but she never gave a hint that is was bothersome to her. It was warm and so walking we went along the

Merrimack River where it meets the sea.

I never looked for shells or sea glass.

I spent the hour and half walking with her and kicking a stick as the winds would have taken her Frisbee far, far away. She wanted it and I said find a stick so off on the mission she went up ahead to find a good one.

We came upon a group of men, they looked kind of suspicious to me, even JT lowered her head and growled softly. They were huddled under a tree and as I got closer I saw the spotting scopes and HUGE camera lenses all pointed into the Fir trees. I asked what they had cornered in the tree the older man said “Birds”. I sort of felt bad for the bird lol no damn privacy! Now the photo of the men could have been used in a “Birding Book” or front page of paper on a slow news day.

After our walk and play were done, we went to sit in the truck and take a break from the wind when I saw a woman walking towards us and the wooden walkway with her tripod and cameras. She saw JT with her pretty face watching her through the open window and she proceeds to start snapping photos of her, what she did not know is that JT is already FAMOUS, with her own followers. We started chatting and seems she tries to capture birds for Audubon and that was why all the men with huge lens were there. They have groups that meet and hunt the birds down to photograph. I see so much being present had they sat on this bench see what they could have caught in their viewfinder

I attended a free talk today on Orchids. What a beautiful and peaceful place to enjoy, on a winter’s day. You need to swing by if you are local and have never stepped inside. They are all very friendly and you will get a warm welcome from all including Oliver

He will say Hello and even laugh when you do. Not sure he liked my flash but he never stopped talking and even said Good-Bye.

Baby Tears sit here with Venus flytraps

Cactus too

Are you looking for COLOR now that your Christmas tree is down these are very pretty.

Plants of all types can be found here.

Lush Green Plants are great for cleaning the air you need to breathe

I wonder if this will hold my monster Spider plant

Orange and Yellow pop and the pretty fountain too

So precious placed in a beautiful garden. I must shop for my new English Garden I will be adding here at home.

I must say Oliver has the prettiest home I wouldn’t mind staying her either.

Thanks to CHURCHILL’S for allowing me to take photos of their beautiful shop in Exeter, New Hampshire. Stop in I am sure you will love it as well and if you are reading this from another part of the US stop in one of your local garden centers and for those of you who follow me from all over the world should you find yourself in NH call me I will show you around.

It is mid January here in New Hampshire and Churchill’s advertised a “FREE” talk on growing Orchids, I had to attend. Nancy told us all about different types of orchids and their needs. Water, food and light and airflow. They are delicate but there are so many we can grow here, if we can give them the right mix of all of these.

We were taught to pick between bark and charcoal mix or long moss for growing orchids in. We need to feed them so they grow strong with bright green leaves but not real dark leaves though. We learned that after the blossoms are gone and after a short rest, we can gently remove it from their pot and trim off any soft, unhealthy looking roots, and give them a little bath to remove all old bark mix and prepare it to go back into the pot with fresh mix added. A great way to give them enough humidity she said was to set out a tray of stones, deep enough to hold a little water and sit the plant on top of the stones, just not in the water. These are plants that love tropical surroundings, so the more you can do to your home to get it as close to the real thing, the happier your orchids will be. They will show you with beautiful blooms and bright green leaves.

This plant was so beautiful, forgive me for the light, after all we were in a beautiful greenhouse that was so warm and toasty. A perfect place to spend a few hours shopping for plant for your home. They are having a sale right now and with the photos I will add to the two blogs I am doing on Churchill’s , you will see that they have so many beautiful choices. More on part 2

This orchid is growing in a clear pot and you can clearly see by the roots that once the blooms have faded and rested a new pot with fresh bark mix will be on order as well as a pot just a little bigger.

A beautiful plant looking for a new home to grace, as well as the supplies you can buy here to keep it beautiful, for many years to come. Who said New Hampshire is too cold for pretty plants.

After the talk we went shopping. This greenhouse is filled with all different kinds of plants for your home. African Violets are on my left, some Boston Ferns on my right. A pretty plant stand holds a fern. It is not just about plants, it is about your home. Statuary and fountains as well as gorgeous pots are here too.

For me and the others who attended the talk today it was all about the ORCHID

Our friends live on top of a Mountain/Hill and they raise reining horses and Border Collies and of course their children as well.

They had a horrible thunder and lightning storm hit their area of VT and lost every animal that was in their huge barn. Horses, border collie pups, female horses just getting ready to foal, it was sickening to see the loss and the pain the family went through, being helpless to help the animals when the lightning hit.

We had JT from litter before the one lost and took her up to see her old family and to give them hugs.

Here are the two horses that were outside and the dogs that were in the house, plus our JT , she loves when we go there.

Our little female has no idea how big this horse is and how quick she can move

She was scaring me.

Her brother is even crazier he is always up against these two female horses heels

Sad to think of all the horses that used to run here, now just two females, sisters.

Tex is the father of all the pups that were born here.

She is watching them

JT’s brother Tex’s son

Tex respects these giants, he has been chased before.

These horses mess with the dogs and their toy balls as they really are all young and playful.